In the assembly and fitting of piping systems it is often necessary to align opposing adjacent pipe flanges so that they can be connected by bolting or other means. The alignment of adjacent flanges may be difficult and time consuming depending upon the size of the pipe involved and the distance the opposing pipe flanges must be moved to achieve alignment.
Efforts have been made to provide tools to facilitate pipe flange alignment. One such device is that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,055 to Van Meter. Van Meter describes a flange alignment tool and method for aligning flanges at opposite ends of a length of pipe. The tool is comprised of body portion having a flat surface for abutting the pipe flange rear surface, a curvilinear surface for engagement with the neck portion of the pipe flange and alignment pins which fit through adjacent bolt holes in the pipe flange. Resilient springs urge the alignment pins in a predetermined direction against the pipe flange bolt holes. Van Meter does not suggest a method for alignment of adjacent flanges of flanged pipe sections for attachment.
Another device is that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,181 to Ingle. Ingle discloses a device for aligning opposing adjacent first and second pipe flanges. The device is comprised of an elongated body having jacking screws at each end, a carriage which can be positioned along the body, and a tie plate for attaching the carriage and to the first of the opposing pipe flanges by means of studs for insertion into the pre-existing pipe flange bolt holes.
Alignment is achieved with the Ingle device by positioning the carriage along the elongated body so that one of the jacking screws is at the second of the opposing flanges and the other is at a point on the pipe opposite the first opposing flange and turning the jacking screws to force the first and second pipe flanges into alignment. Ingle contains many parts which are positioned together and the user must maintain and keep track of many different tie-plates to use the device on different pipe with different pipe diameters, flange sizes and the like.
Still another device for of flange alignment has been described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,536 to McConkey. The McConkey patent discloses a device to precisely align large diameter, flanged pipe sections comprised of an elongated central bolt having tapered mandrels at either end. Sleeve sections fit over the central bolt and mandrels which expand outward increasing the diameter of the device as the bolt is tightened.
In use the McConkey device is inserted into adjacent bolt openings of corresponding pipe flanges, the head of the bolt is turned expanding the diameter of the tool and forcing the bolt holes into a precise alignment so that standard fastening bolt assemblies may be used to secure the flanges together. A disadvantage of the McConkey device is that it is a precision alignment tool only and cannot be used unless the adjacent bolt holes are already substantially in alignment as the device must fit through the bolt holes of each flange.
A device used to clamp and align pipe tube sections for welding is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,828 to Peterson. The Peterson apparatus is comprised of a U-shaped bracket for caging the end of one of two adjacent tube sections and an opposing offset portion extending away from the caging bracket, the offset portion has a screwably adjustable shaft member for moving the other adjacent pipe tube into alignment with the caged tube end for welding.
Another method and apparatus for clamping and concentric alignment of a pipe flange to a pipe for permanent attachment by welding is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,435 to Depperman, et al. This clamping and alignment device is comprised of C-shaped frame having opposing end sections and a transverse section which is clamped to a bolt hole on the pipe flange and an elongated base portion which extends out over the pipe. The opposing end sections of the C-shaped frame are aligned with the bolt hole with alignment screws. The elongated base portion also has an alignment screw to engage the outer surface of the pipe to move the pipe for concentric alignment with the flange. Neither the Peterson device or the Depperman, et al device teach alignment of adjacent pipe flanges.
Consequently, a need exist for improvements in pipe flange alignment techniques and devices to align adjacent flanges of opposing pipe sections for attachment by bolting or other means.